Multiaxes interpolating system for automatic machine tool with position control



June 27. 1967 R w mm 3,328,655

MULTIAXES INTERPQLAT'IN'G SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL orlglnal Flled Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet l ROBERT w. TRIPP,

IN V EN TOR.

A rromvs R. W. TRIPP June 27, 1967 MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 ROBERT w. TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

ATTORA/EK June 27. 1967 w, pp

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 ROBERT W. TRIPP,

INVEjV TOR.

-.4 TTOPNEK Y B m0. m9 N9 m mg o M9 N0. o 09 mm. mm. 1 1f 1 If m9 1] 1] 11 1J 1 J J hm mg B. O .5 8 mm mm mm I g Y m N. 1?) mo. m2 2 mm m: mm VQMQ NW i N m om m: N: 1 m m- Mm H mm Iv wN -w m m: SW. m. vm 8 3% June 27, 1967 R. w. TRIPP 3,323,655 MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 W06fio AAY I AY AY +AAY GAIN CONTROL: AAX

l6 AAY |8 SERVO AX I mtnoa n AAX AX-AAX 2! 2.. D

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P F AX I D D AX Jig-6a. @0660 +Ror-R XR ROBERT W. TRIPP,

INVEN TOR.

A T TORNE K June 27, 1967 w mpp 3,328,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC -MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-$heet DIGITAL COMPUTER FIG. IO FIG. II FIG. l2 FIG. I3 FIG. I4 FIG.I5 FIG. l6

ROBERT W. TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEK June 27. 1967 R. w. TRIPP 3,328,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 STOP 8 I REF 8S fsa MULTIPLIERS AX l I TAPE AY one READER DISTRIBUTOR STORAGE RELAYS l 5' s I X Y X TRANSLATOR Z FEED RATE 8 222 SEED ATE CONVERTER 93a 9| 9'2 :lumn'zn ROBERT W. TRIPP, VARIABLE GAIN OR- J .11. CONTROL g FROM TAPE 'DATA By 1/ v L H A T TORNE Y.

June 27, 1967 R. W. TRIPP Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 MULTIPLIERS l5 95 SERVO F X 7 NULL [94 AY GAIN CONTROL RELAY I ygtl 19?, 2| J E',

AY SLOPE ANGLE REF 9 X SERVO AY W I MOTOR 22 AX AY ABSOLUTE VALUE OF SLOPE ANGLE OF CURVE 33b AXAY 223 1 STORAGE REF.

RELAYS 2|4 JANA A Y+Y AMPLIFIER D W Y 24 REE A X+X AMPLIFIER 1 REF. E 26 I90 FEED SERVO AMPLIFIER ROBERT W. TRIPP,

INVENTOR. @012:

A TTORNE K June 27. 1967 R. w. TRIPP MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 u n m ROBERT W. TRIPP IN VEN TOR.

r TORNEK JurIe 27, 1967 R w TR|PPE 3,328,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed NOV- 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 INTERPOLATOR SEQUENCE AX CONTROL 2 5 HHHHIH L zzl SPEED UP 4 I BINARY GEAR MECHANISM x i 3 BRAKESI I I24 I CLUTCH 94 4 2 BINARY GEAR MECHANISM AY I P20123454 56789 45 N N INNNN i I I 'I I L L l I I I J REL-1 "7'" Z l FE E5 l-J5 9O SOLENOID ACTUATORS 4 Q I uum AY L ROBERT w. TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

I 4319- BY ATTORNEK June 27. 1967 R w. TRlPP 3,328,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 1O XPOSITION L SERVO MOTOR 6O A|X+XR A SERVO MOTOR ,1 70 66 6| I 1'. L- RESOLYERS 37 RESOLVERS I 62 V Z TxlrgAx 64 Z53 D 44, I3 FEED RATE r43 7 SERVO 1'AcHoMETER MOTOR RESOLVER S Y POSITION SERVO MOTOR ROBERT W. TRIPP, INVENTOR. XI 0115' A BY A TTORNEK June 27. 1967 R. w. TRIPP 3,328,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 l6 Sheets-Sheet 11 MOTOR SERVO MOTOR ROBERT w TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

,4 TTORNEK R. W. TRIPP June 27. 1967 MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956' 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 2.

mOhO 2 mm w ROBERT W. TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

A T TORNE K June 7. 1967 R. w. TRIPP MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 SheetS- Sheet 13 ROBERT w. TRIPP,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

June 27. 1967 R. w. TRIPP 3,328,655

, MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC ITH POSITION CONTROL MACHINE TOOL W Original Filed Nov 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 OUTPUT ROBERT W. TRIPP,

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEK June 27. 1967 R. w. TRIPP 3,323,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 co m r m (SHHONI NI) SlNIOd N33Mi38 BONVLSIO ROBERT w. TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

BYW

. ATTORNEK June 27, 1967 R. w. TRIPP 3,323,655

MULTIAXES INTERPOLATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE TOOL WITH POSITION CONTROL Original Filed Nov. 15, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 FINE ROBERT w. TRIPP,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 34 Claims. (Cl. 318-18) This application is a continuation of S.N. 622,397 filed Nov. 15, 1956 for Interpolating System for Automatic Machine Tool Control now abandoned.

The invention relates to an automatic machine tool control system Which will accept input data in digital form and control the motion of a tool relatively to a work piece along a straight path, or along a continuous curve instead of generating a straight line segmental approximations as heretofore proposed, for example in the M.I.T. milling machine control. The tool may be either the cutting tool of a milling machine, lathe, profiler or the like, or it may be the scriber or stylus of a drafting or engraving machine for generating curves.

In U.S. application, S.N. 557,035 filed Jan. 3, 1956 for Automatic Machine Control Method and System, hereafter referred to as Case 3 there is disclosed and claimed an automatic machine tool control method and system which will also accept digital input data for the purpose above mentioned. Case 3 and other patent applications referred to herein are assigned to the assignee of the present application. The corresponding patent numbers appear in the list at the end of the specification.

The objects of the present invention include the features of reducing the amount of input data required, eliminating much of the effort required for programming the portion of the computation carried out on a digital computer, and resolving the instruction to the machine elements into a plurality of grades of increments of which the fine increment is preferably handled by a highly accurate position-measuring transformer such as the Inductosyn 1 as described in further detail later.

Case 3 and several other pending applications referred to later describe and claim the generation of a complex curve by what is essentially extrapolation, in that the various inputs namely, the coordinates of the points and slope, curvature and rate of change of curvature are integrated to direct the path towards the next point on the curve to be generated. This approach involves digital-toanalog conversion of input data into a shaft rotation, resolving the angular position or movement of the shaft into co-function values having the relation of sine and cosine of the shaft angle and integrating the feed rate of the machine drives along the X and Y axes with such sine and cosine values respectively whereby the machine elements are controlled relatively to each other in a manner defining the straight line or complex curves designated in the input[ Depending upon the accuracy of the constants and of the integration, the line or curve thus generated may or may not hit the next point exactly. Thus there is need to provide for checking and correcting as described and claimed in Us. application S.N. 563,125 filed Feb. 2, 1956 for Automatic Digital Machine Tool Control, hereinafter referred to as Case 4.

As compared to Cases 3 and 4, an object of the invention is to simplify the apparatus required, avoid inaccuracies due to use of mechanical devices such as balldisk-cylinder integrators for performing mathematical operations, avoid the necessity for checking the correct- 1 Registered trademark,

ice

ness of the tool path, and provide apparatus wherein the correctness of the tool path is inherently checked, while generating or machining a continuous curve. This is accomplished by generating the curve by an interpolation method in which the curve is fitted between point pairs and goes through each point without errors of integration. The accuracy of the approximation to a spline fit depends upon the separation of the points and upon the nature of the curve as explained in further detail later. The amount of data required according to the invention can be reduced by selecting the distance between data points with due regard to the required curve shape and the permissible error. The invention also makes it possible to maintain a constant cutting speed even though each cycle of the feed rate includes point pairs having different separations.

It is possible to obtain the required machine input data with certain relatively simple arithmetical operations. The spcification develops the required mathematical equations. The only original data needed for the evaluation are the X and Y coordinates of a suitable number of points. When the equation of the curve is known, it is a very simple matter to compute the necessary input data to the machine, as will be hereinafter explained.

A particular advantage of the invention is that the machine can be stopped at any point of its sequence and be started again without loss of accuracy. According to the invention, a curve is divided into segments, and the coordinates of each segment are taken as the sum of the coordinates of points along the chord between the point pairs for each segment and the distance from the chord to the curve, measured perpendicular to the chord. The invention provides method and means for continuously computing this sum in analog form from data of the segment and the chord and data of the required interpolation constants. A further object of the invention is to continuously compute from such data the lengths of the perpendicular from the chord to the curve, resolve such perpendicular values into their components along the X and Y axes, add such components to the corresponding components of the chord along such axes, and control the feed rates of the machine elements along those axes accordingly.

While the invention provides methods and means for generating a straight line, or a succession of straight lines having different slopes, the invention deals particularly with the generation of complex curves by generating successive curved segments. This involves the chord-totangent angle and the length of the chord for each segment and for the generation of continuous curves, it also involves preparing the instruction for the next segment while maintaining the instruction for a given segment with a quick shift from one instruction to the next. It is a particular object ,of the present invention to provide method and means for these purposes. Further objects of the invention are to provide for adjusting the position of the required curve before starting, to provide for a separate introduction of cutter offset instruction, to provide a constant cutting rate independent of the length of each successive segment of the curve to be cut. A further object is to provide for the generation of corners including means for stopping the feed rate drive until the new slope angle is estabilshed, while maintaining the cutter radius instruction active so that at the corner the machine Will describe an arcuate path having a radius equal to the cutter radius whereby the cutter always remains in contact with the corner being cut. Provision is also made for zero olfset as described and claimed in application S.N. 638,722 filed Feb. 7, 1957 for Zero Offset for Machine Tool Control. In general, these objects and features are accomplished as follows.

The curve is divided into a plurality of successive segments, the length of these segments being chosen with due regard for the required accuracy as explained later.

Slope wngle.--The slope of the path depends on the ratio of the feed rates along the X and Y coordinate axes. This ratio is established by extending each of the X and Y drives through a variable speed ratio device, here illustrated as an improved digital gear device. The digital gear device disclosed and claimed herein is binary and, as to its generic aspects, is described and claimed in Case 3.

Distance-The chord of each successive segment of the curve is obtained as follows. The two gear ratio units referred to above have an input shaft which is driven through one revolution or an integral number of revolutions for each segment, corresponding to a cycle of operation, and the gear ratio is changed only at the end of a cycle. This results in the X and Y output drive shafts making a number of revolutions or parts of revolutions proportional to the digital inputs. Thus the total angular travel of the two output shafts, for the X and Y axes, is proportional to the distance along those axes required to generate the chord of the segment.

Instruction shift.Storage relays are provided for transfer of the input data into the gear ratio units during the cycle, without any pause in the motion of the output shafts for continuous curves. Also, each of the gear devices is constructed and arranged to maintain a given ratio while being urged to an alternate position corresponding to a change in the ratio, such change being prevented, however, until the end of the cycle, where the change is quickly effected. During the cycle, the analog-.

computer operates in synchronism with and may be driven by the input shaft for the gear units so that the computation of the curve data (X and Y components of the perpendicular distance from the chord to the curve), proceeds in space phase relation with the X and Y feed rate instructions which determine the length and slope of the chord.

Psiti0n.--This is added to the instruction generated by the analog computer equipment so that the machine may generate a curve at any desired point within its capacity.

Cutler ofiseL-Provision is made for computing the absolute value of the slope angle of the curve from the input values of the increments AX and AY, an adjustable tool radius input R being provided to resolve the tool radius R into the increments X and Y for addition to the other instructions pertinent to the X and Y axes. This has a number of advantages and broadly is described and claimed in U.S. application S.N. 561,769 filed Jan. 27, 1956 for Tool Radius Correction Computer as applied to two axes, and is described and claimed as applied to three axes in U.S. application S.N. 608,357 filed Sept. 6, 1956 for 3-Dimensi0nal Tool Radius Correction Computer. Use of this feature permits various cutters to be employed without altering the input program.

Constant cutting rate.-As successive cycles may involve chords of different lengths, provision is made for operating the input drive to the gear ratio units at a speed inversely proportional to the length of the chord whereby a substantially constant cutting rate is obtained.

Corner routine.As described above, provision is made for reducing the feed rate to zero at a corner until the instruction of a new slope angle is set in, while maintaining the cutter radius instruction active so that the cutter always remains in contact with the corner being cut.

Zero 0fiset.Provision is made for locating the program zero as described with respect to the machine coordinates so that the part may be programmed in ad- Vance and the part located on the machine subsequently. The difference between the machine coordinate zero and the part coordinate zero is zero offset. This is described and claimed in U.S. application S.-N. 638,722, referred to above.

Sequence.Concerning the sequence of operation of the digital gear device in relation to the program advance, the objects of the invention are to hold the inputs to the differentials in the selected state from one command to another, change from one state to another at exactly the position desired, hold the digital input for a short time until the equipment is ready to accept it, hold the inputs energized independently of the storage circuits, utilize the storage circuits to hold the next data while current data is being used, and to provide a circuit which makes it possible to read the punched card or tape at a relatively slow rate and during times when the previous information is being held on the operating coils, while making it possible to change the state of the operating coils, and obtain the shaft speed called for by the input, very rapidly and at an accurately chosen time or under accurately chosen conditions.

In prior control systems referred to above, it has been customary to machine successive straight line segments to produce an approximation of the desired surface. A more satisfactory machined part and a very large reduction in the amount of the required input data, as well as increased flexibility and accuracy are obtained according to the present invention wherein the inputs include differences of position of points on the surface and interpolation constants for the surface to be cut, whereby the method and system of the present invention are capable of machining continuous curves instead of straight line segmental approximations of the curve or surface to be cut.

In accordance with the present invention, each successive segment of a curve is generated from the values of (a) the differences between the coordinates of the end points of the segment, (b) the angle between the chord and the tangent at the cutting point, and (c) the departure H of the curve from the chord, measured perpendicularly to the chord from the cutting point on the curve. It is shown that the value of H is given by the equation:

and that the value of the angle A is given by the equation:

In the above Equations 1 and 2,

fl =starting interpolation angle of segment a =ending interpolation angle of segment where {3 N is the angle between the chord and the tangent to the curve at the first data point N of the curve segment and a is the angle between the chord and the tangent to the curve at the second data point N +1 of the curve segment.

D=chord distance between adjacent data points. S=distance measured along the chord to a perpendicular from the chord to the cutting point on the curve.

It is further shown that instantaneous values of the coordinates of points X, Y, on the path to be followed by the tool or center of the cutter are given by the following equations which appear later as Equations 62 and 63:

In Equations 62 and 63,

X =abscissa of the first data point N AX=difference in abscissae between adjacent data points X =AX component of cutter radius Y =ordinate of the first data point AY=difference in ordinates between adjacent data points Y =AY component of cutter radius It is also shown that the value of tan as given in Equation 2 is taken into account in computing the cutter offset components X and Y A further object of the invention is to provide a method of computing the necessary input values of a, [3, AX and AY in digital form and continuously computing signal values of H, (Equation 1) and H/D, and also tan (Equation 2) and from these signal values to continuously compute the terms included in Equations 62 and 63 and add the terms for each equation as indicated, and control the feed rate of the machine elements on coordinate X and Y axes accordingly.

It is shown that in the case where the equation of the curve is known, the values of a and 8 are readily determined, whereas, if the equation of the curve is not known, the values of a and 8 may be computed by analogy to a spline fit, from data of the points of preceding and succeeding segments of the curve.

The above objects are accomplished by employing a precision position measuring transformer to attain high precision, and by employing analog computers to provide continuous data of position, to drive servos which position the machine element relatively to the work piece to be cut.

While the invention will be described with reference to two orthogonal axes, referred to as the X and Y axes, with the Z axis used for positional control only, it will be apparent that the interpolation [method and means herein described may be extended to apply also to a third axis Z at rig-ht angles to the plane of the X and Y axes.

A feature of the invention relates to use of one axis for positional control only, motion along this axis being limited to intervals between periods in which signals are supplied to the other two axes.

There are several known mathematical interpolation methods by which an equation, or a series of equations, can be obtained, which will closely approximate any desired curve. In the preferred mathematical method herein described, the equations of the curve itself are not computed or required. Instead, the mathematical theory of stress and strain is employed to compute selected parameters of a spline fit to the required curve, or a very close approximation to such spline fit.

The selected parameters are computed for successive pairs of points along the desired curve as given, or taken sufiiciently close together to insure the required accuracy of approximation to the desired curve. The computation for each pair of points is based upon the relative locations of prior and subsequent points along the curve. So far as is known, this mathematical method of producing a close approximation to a desired curve has previously not been disclosed.

The equations which are herein developed and employed to give effect to the location of prior and subsequent points in determining the path to be followed between each successive pair of points, are based upon the use of two prior and two subsequent points. It is to be understood, however, that the mathematical method is equally applicable to single prior and subsequent points or to three or more prior and subsequent points, and that the invention is therefore not limited to any particular number of prior and subsequent points.

The selected parameters to be used are computed on a digital computer which may be of any suitable type, and p which is not claimed as part of the invention. These parameters are recorded by the digital-computer in any convenient form, such as punched cards or punched paper tape.

The computed parameters are employed in a combination of electrical, electronic and mechanical components to be described, to cause the cutter or other tool of a 6. milling machineor the like to reproduce the desired curve upon any desired number of work pieces.

In the illustrative embodiment herein described, the X and Y components of the perpendicular distance from the chord between any two points to successive points on the interpolated curve are computed in analog form and added to the successive X and Y components of the chord, to guide the cutter or other tool along a path which will reproduce the interpolated curve.

For further details of the invention reference may be rnade to the idrawingswherein FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4a to 4e and FIG. 5 are schematic figures illustrating a curve and its components involved in mathematical equations given later in connection with computing the segment of the curve from certain parameters of the curve, FIGS. 4a

to 42, being useful in connection with computing the starting and ending ch'ord-to-tangent angles of the curve where the curve function is not known. FIG. 4a illustrates a spline fit through 6 points. FIGS. 4b to 4e illustrate the 3-point spline components of the curve in FIG. 4a.

FIG. 6a is a schematic diagram of a portion of the system in FIG. 12, illustrating a resolver with its inputs and outputs for computing the slope angle 5 between the X axis and the tangent at the cutting point on the curve, FIG. 6b being the corresponding geometrical diagram.

FIG. 7a is a schematic diagram of another portion of the resolver referred to above, illustrating the inputs AX and AY for computing the chord length D, FIG. 711 being the corresponding geometrical diagram.

FIG. 8a is a schematic diagram of another portion of the resolver device of FIGS. 6a and 7a illustrating the tool radius input to be resolved into components along the X and Y axes, FIG. 8b being the corresponding geometrical diagram.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating how FIGS. 10 to 1 6 are arranged edge-to-edge to illustrate a complete system capable of operating in accordance with the method of the present invention, the input of FIG. 10 operating through the various computers and controls illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 15, to control the machine elements illustrated in FIG. 16.

- FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of the zero offset control illustrated schematically in FIG. 16, FIG. 17 illustrating this item for the X motor, a similar control, not shown, being provided for the Y motor.

FIG. 18 is a view, partly in section, which may be considered either a plan view or a side view in elevation of the gear mechanism and associated parts illustrated in FIG. 14 for the X axis, a similar gear mechanism with its associated parts not shown being also provided as shown schematically in the Y axis in FIG. 14.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the gear device of FIG. 18, the section being taken on line 19-19 of FIG. 20, looking the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the controls for reversing the drive.

FIG. 20 is a section taken on line 2020 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a section taken on the broken line 2121 of FIG. 19 and shows the gear 159 which meshes with the gears 134 and 135.

FIG. 22 is a diagram of the linear digital-to analog converter and multiplier employed in the systems of FIGS. 10 to 16.

FIG. 23 is a graph ilustrating the relation of the distance betwen data points to the departure of the generated curve from a circular arc.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged sectional view, with parts broken away, illustrating the clutch or detent arm for each of the ten binary gear drives to 109 in FIG. 18.

FIG. 25 is a plan view of a machine tool having drives along X, Y and Z axes for advancing a workpiece and a cutter or tool relatively to each other and wherein the X, Y and Z drives of FIG. 16 are embodied.

The following is a list of the symbols used in this specification, with their definitions; as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8.

aseaeaa X '=instantaneous value of the abscissa of the cutter center or tool path along the machine X axis Y'=instantaneous value of the ordinate of the cutter center or tool path along the machine Y axis X =abscissa along X [axis of data point N Y =ordinate along Y axis of data point N X =abscissa of the cutting point along X axis X =ordinate of the cutting point along Y axis X =X component of cutter radius Y =Y component of cutter radius AX=difference between the abscissae of adjacent data:

points AY=difference between the ordinates of adjacent data points A X=X component of H (see H below) A Y=Y component of H (see H below) H =departure of the curve from the chord D, measured perpendicular to D from the point P on the curve H=deflection of a beam anchored at point 1 and bent to pass through point 2 (see FIG. 2)

D=chord distance between adjacent data points C=constant S=distance measured along the chord D R=cutter radius a=slope angle between the chord D and the X axis )\=angle between the chord and the tangent at the cutting point P =the angle between two successive chords =slope angle of the tangent at P fl =the angle between the chord of a curve segment N, N-l-l and the tangent to the curve segment at N, or, chord-to-tangent angle a =the angle between the chord of a curve segment N 1, N and the tangent to the curve segment at K, or, chordto-tangent angle :5,, as applied to Equations 1 and 2 (see FIG. 3)

AAX: (tan A) AY (see FIG. 6)

' AAY: (tan A) AY (see FIG. 6)

SIGN CONVENTIONS The sign conventions employed in the following dis cussion are:

(l) Angles are positive when measured counter-clockwise.

(2) An angle between a chord and a tangent is measured from the chord to the tangent.

(3) An angle between two chords is measured from the extension of the first chord to the second chord.

(4) Distances-along chords are taken as positive in the direction of motion. Distances normal to chords are taken as positive to the left of the direction of motion.

(5) Lengths of chords are taken as positive.

MATHEMATICS OF THE INTERPOLATION METHOD Consideration will now be given to the mathematics of the interpolation method, first for the general case where the equation of the curve is not known, and then for the case where the equation of the curve is given.

Equation 07 the curve not kn0wn.The general case is the one in which the equation of the curve is not known. In this case, the digital computer 2, FIG. 10, computes the lengths D of the chords and the angles 0 from the values of X and Y between the chords. Using Equations 35, 36, 37 and 38 (see page to find values of C and C.,,, it then computes the required values of the chordto-tangent angles a and 5 from Equations 33 and 34. These equations are explained later.

Equations 1 and 2 (page 8) are those of the required parameters of a close approximation to the curve which would be produced by a spline, or a uniform flexible strip which is caused to pass through the given points on the curve. The use of such a spline or strip is well-known in the drafting and layout arts. The validity of the equations may be demonstrated in the following way: If a beam 1, 2 (FIG. 2), fixed at the point 2, is bent by a force normal to the beam at point 1 so that the beam after bending passes through the point 1, its behaviour may be analyzed in the following way: there is set up a bending moment which varies along the beam, its magnitude at any point P being proportional to the distance, S, from the point 1. This is a well-known principle, fundamental in the theory of stress and strain, and presented in any treatise on Strength of Materials. In FIG. 2, and, indeed, in the usual treatment of beams, it is considered immaterial to the discussion whether the distances involved are measured along the tangent 1, A, along the chord 1, 2 or along the bent beam 1, P, 2 itself, since the angle A, 1, 2 is considered to be so small that the relationship Angle=Sine :Tangent is a very close approximation. In the operation of the invention herein described, it is necessary that the points along the curve to be out be taken sufficiently close together that this relationship is true without sensible error. This is not a tight restriction since, for reasons of accuracy, points would normally be taken suificiently close together that this is the case.

The bending moment of the beam which is proportional in magnitude to the distance S along the beam (or along the tangent, or the chord), causes a change in the slope of the beam such that the rate of change of slope is proportional to said bending moment. From the principles of analytical geometry it is known that the slope of a curve H f(S) is given by the first derivative of H with respect to S, and the rate of change of slope is given by the second derivative of H with respect to S, or in common nomenclature, and with the notation of FIG. 2:

H =f( dI-l d =f'(S)=Slope 2 I f(S)=Rate of chang of Slope (8) senting the initial slope and C the initial deflection of the beam. In the situation represented in FIG. 2, both are zero, hence H =kS 1 1 To determine the value of k, we note in FIG. 2 that, when S=D, then H =D tan 13=Dp by the small-angle approxi mation. Substituting these values in Equation 11 gives We are interested, however, in the value of H, or departure of the curve from the chord. Referring to FIG. 2 and using the small-angle approximation:

. B and, since H=(H+H)-H (15) from Equations 13, 14 and 15, we have:

6 H=S/3S3 (16) which may be written 

1. A NUMERICALLY CONTROLLED CURVE INTERPOLATING MACHINE COMPRISING (A) MEANS FOR GENERATING A SIGNAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHORD OF A SEGMENT OF THE CURVE, (B) MEANS FOR TRANSLATING THE CHORD-TO-TANGENT ANGLES OF THE CURVED PATH OF SAID SEGMENT INTO ANOTHER SIGNAL REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PATH OF THE CHORD AND THE CURVED PATH OF ITS SAID SEGMENT AND (C) MEANS FOR GENERATING THE CURVED PATH OF SAID LAST MENTIONED SEGMENT BY THE COMBINED EFFECT OF SAID SIGNALS. 